With childhood obesity on the rise, it is now more important than ever to start educating children early about the importance of healthy eating habits. Through a partnership with local school districts, the FCS Agent had the opportunity to educate 583 primary students at 8 different schools throughout Harlan County using the LEAP (Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary) curriculum.

The LEAP curriculum includes using a storybook to teach topics such as nutrition, physical fitness, dental health, and handwashing. LEAP programs also include a variety of activities including sampling a healthy snack, physical fitness/exercise games, and experiments.

100 % of LEAP student participants reported increased knowledge related to the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables every day. 100% of participants also reported increased knowledge related to the importance of being physically active on a regular basis.